


Family Bonds

by almwolfhunter07



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Baby Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Bullying, Minor Violence, Protective Parents, Very Minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24175015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almwolfhunter07/pseuds/almwolfhunter07
Summary: Rayla doesn't want to get in trouble, so what better way to avoid that than hiding in her favorite place ever, the adoraburr meadow. Too bad Runaan and Ethari are smart, but maybe them finding her isn't such a bad thing...
Relationships: Ethari & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Rayla & Runaan (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 100





	Family Bonds

Rayla swung her legs, gently pinching the little adoraburr that had snuggled into her hand. She was still shaking, her lip pouted as she waited for Runaan and Ethari to inevitably find her. The adoraburr meadow wasn't exactly a secret place and was a well known location for Rayla to hide when she was sad, mad, or in trouble. 

She would be in so much trouble. She had gotten into ANOTHER fight, even after promising Runaan and Ethari she wouldn't. But she couldn't help it, the kid had been a jerk. Some random kid that had been teasing her relentlessly for some time. She remember talking about it with Runaan and Ethari a while ago, and they had asked the parents of the other to control their kid, which they laughed off, stating that their boy probably just had a crush on little Rayla. Her adoptive dads had not liked that answer, stating that the kid would think it was acceptable behavior if it was not stopped, but the parents proceeded to turn a blind eye.

Rayla had been working on an assignment for class when he had come up to her today. It was a pretty important assignment, drawing her family. She had a lot of work ahead of her, not only was she drawing Runaan and Ethari, but she had to draw her mom and dad too! They weren't dead, but she didn't see them much anymore, not since they joined the Dragon Guard two years ago. She missed them, but she knew they were doing something special. Ethari told her that only eight elves out of all of them were chosen, so the fact her parents had been chosen was something she cherished, she couldn't be more proud to be their daughter.

That's why when the little jerk came up to her, demanding to know who the other two people in her picture were, she did her best to ignore him… until he said seemed to recall something his parents had told him, about her mom and dad being cowards and abandoning the village. She wasn't sure what happened after that, except when she became aware of her surroundings, the kid was crying, bruises on his face and a bloody nose decorating his face.

She ran straight here after that, without even waiting for the teacher to find her and reprimand her. A tear rolled down her cheek, splashing next to the little adoraburr. The small thing squeaked and bounced away. She stared after it, contemplating following it when she heard voices.

"Rayla, Rayla where are you?" It was Ethari, Runaan wouldn't be close behind.

Panicking, she turned and scrambled up the giant tree that the root she had been sitting on belonged to. She hugged the trunk, keeping as silent as she could as she scanned the meadow. Not a minute later, Ethari and Runaan came through the bushes on the other side of the meadow. They looked around, looking at each other before they began to survey the area. It wouldn't be long til they found her, Runaan was impossible to escape from.

She did her best to stay quiet, but her tears continued, eventually causing her to sniffle. She sat still, but her hiding spot had been revealed. She watched as Runaan and Ethari ran towards where she was hiding.

"Rayla, what are you doing-" Runaan began to scold, cutting off when Ethari lifted a hand. 

He continued with a gentler tone. "Ray, we know you're up there, come down please, for us? You aren't in trouble, we just want to talk."

That's what they always say, parents, of course she was in trouble. But, she preferred to not be dragged from her hiding spot, so she gently leapt down, landing quietly on the branch just above them. When she saw them, she pictured looking at them all serious and brooding, like Runaan, but instead the sight of them made her cry harder. 

Ethari gently got her down, holding her close, murmuring sweet nothings to help calm her. Runaan stood by, a bit awkward at the water works, but his presence was enough to help calm her down. Soon the three if them were back on the root, she sat between the two of them as Ethari ran his hand through her hair, like he used to do when she was young… well younger.

Runaan glanced at her. Anyone would think his constant brooding expression was meant to intimidate, and while that was true, it was clear to Rayla that the expression was mainly from worry. It was written all over his face. "Rayla… we heard what happened at school today, but we know you, and you wouldn't act out for nothing, so what happened?"

She bunched up her shoulders, reluctant to remember what had happened, but a gentle squeeze from Ethari goded her on. "The mean kid that picks on me said mom and dad were cowards, that they abandoned the village… and us. But they didn't abandon us, they didn't!"

Ethari chuckled at her defiant expression. The dark purple markings under her eyes faded into an angry blush, her lilac eyes stared ahead angrily. Her tiny body had clenched up, cheeks puffed out, and ears tilted down in annoyance. Runaan stared at them affectionately before he patted little Rayla on the head.

"Rayla, you must not let that boy get to you. Your parents were some of the bravest elves in the village, going off to serve in The Dragon Guard is a noble path to take and a dangerous one. It's clear you don't think they are cowards, and who would know them better than you.

"Listen." Rayla glanced up at Runaan, slowly relaxing at his reassurance. " We cannot control what other people think, but we can choose how we react to what they do. As annoying as it may be that we cannot stop the kid's behavior, or unfair it is for you to have to put up with it, we must remember not to let it get to us. We know your parents were heros, and that's all that matters, ok?"

Rayla stared at him, trying to think about what he said. It was all confusing, but she thinks she understands. With one final nod of her head, she looks up to the sky, the moon shining up above. 

"I wanna be just like them when I grow up!" She declared, leaping up from where they sat.

Runaan and Ethari glanced at each other, a secret smile lingering between them as they got up after her, taking one of her hands each and began leading her back towards the village.

"Come on then, future Dragon Guard," Ethari chuckled as they swung her between them. "Let's go get some moonberry surprise, yeah?"

"YEAH!" Rayla shouted into the night, followed by her adoptive dads gleeful laughter.


End file.
